Well I’ll take advantage of the prolonged silence to announce that I’ve had quite possibly the most interesting day this year!
I’ll preface the story with >this link<. Better you read it first, it’s not very long.
Despite what the story would have you believe, I was up last night playing computer games (2:30am, bad I know) when two housemates returning from mad ravez in the city caught my attention by throwing stones at my window. I fluffed the curtains at them, but they were not appeased, and the stones grew larger. I thought it was a joke at my expense when they said there was a ‘massive fire’ down the road, so sluggishly put clothes over my PeeJays.
Rolling back in time a bit, earlier in the day I’d borrowed a mid-range video camera from uni to try to learn how to use it, just overnight. I got some silly shots of housemates and some thrilling sequences of water dripping into mugs. Truly I have reached my creative pinnacle.
Skipping forward again to me being dressed, I grabbed the video camera and my stills camera and headed off. Turns out it wasn’t a joke at my expense, and much filming ensued! Quite an epic blaze, the biggest fire I’ve ever seen up close. All the firemen were very helpful, telling us where to get the best angles and shots. And as we were following their advice, wading through the acrid smokes and trying to stay out their way, some NHS folks approached us. ‘Who are you?’ he said. ‘John’, said I. ‘That’s not good enough’, said he, at which point he said that he didn’t know how we got here but if we didn’t leave he’d call the police. As tempted as we were to tell him how we got there (walking up the road, receiving directions from firemen) we left. I wonder who I should have been that would have been good enough? Attila the Hun, perhaps. I digress.
It seems some firetrucks are actually imposters. One was just an oversized tea-wagon, with a stove and an army of kettles behind the red shutters. Most of the fifty firefighters at the scene seemed to just be there for the tea. I’m sure it was all part of their strategy, never fear.
Anyway, this morning I went back to the scene, only to overhear a reporter from the BBC. I told them who I was, (and was surprised when she didn’t say ‘That’s not good enough’) and… to cut a long story short. Some of our photos and a chunk of my video is now up on the BBC website. And a blink of video was also shown on the regional BBC news in the evening ^^
Funny how sometimes the pieces of a puzzle just fall into place. Just so happening to borrow the video camera, housemates deciding to go out at the last minute, me waking up late and going later than planned past the scene where I met the reporter…
Seems that life just boils down to dumb luck :happy:
And if my video production tutor asks ‘But where’s the concept?’ I’m going to stuff the miniDV tapes down his gullet.
Merry November everyone.
Bravo.
Although you don’t seem to have show any evidence of concept in your work.
Hehe, makes for a really good anecdote, plus you’re famous! Well done John!
John, your blogs never fail to impress, entertain or mystify! What an adventure! And yes, I agree, very lucky!
OOOOOOOO! WOw, go John! November adventures in the extreme. And you’re famous, now of course. Lol to Adam’s comment. I’m sure if I was there, I’d have encouraged you to give them directions as to how you got there.